Happy New Year, friends! The New Year represents to me not just a fresh start, but one more legitimate chance to give the family update that other people seem to get done before Christmas. I suspect in the future I could be the one credited with starting the tradition of sending out a Family Newsletter…
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Sweet Tea and Southern Hospitality
Last year at this time, we had just moved into our new doublewide on an undeveloped lot in my in-law’s trailer part in Alabama. Jeremy had had to leave almost as soon as we arrived to go back and finish getting our house in NY on the market. I was happy as a lark, settling…
Continue ReadingThe Myth of the Perfect Gift (and what we all really want for Christmas)
Why is it so hard to find the perfect gift, and why does the act of gifting often fall short of our expectations for the experience? I’ve been studying relationships, relating, communication and this thing called attachment styles in the last year. It’s been kind of a mind-blowing year in the area of relating as…
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Favorites for Friends (10 gifts under $20)
Can you really find good gifts under $20? I think you can because so often it’s the littlest things that bring a smile or a bit of refreshment on a rough day. This has been a challenging year for me, with sleep deprivation, tight finances, and lots of life adjustments. When I look back over the…
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Five Minute Felted Acorns
If you’ve never felted before, don’t be intimidated by these felted acorns. Felting is so easy, it often happens by accident (remember that wool sweater you shrunk last year?). Balls are the easiest felt shape to achieve, and these take under 5 minutes each. How to Make Felted Acorns Supplies wool (here’s a beautiful pack…
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Fun and Simple Advent Activities {from our house this month}
This December I really wanted to do some fun advent activities with the kids throughout the month. I’ve found that doing a little something every day to celebrate the season takes the pressure off that one day at the end of the month when expectations may or may not be met, and helps us keep…
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Christmas Wreath Tutorial
Learning to make your own Christmas wreath can save you money and give you a great way to bless friends and family this month! I’ve been making Christmas wreaths for nearly 20 years. For many years, it was a business for me and I made so many wreaths every November and December that my hands…
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How to Make Vanilla Extract
When I learned how to make vanilla extract a few years ago, I realized I had the perfect One Size Fits Most gift. It’s appropriate for anyone from 10 to 100, male or female, as long as they a) love baking, or b) love baked goods (and have someone who bakes for them) Now, vanilla…
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How to Build a Christmas Book Advent Calendar on a Budget
I love the idea of starting the tradition of a book advent calendar for my kids like this Christmas book tradition from my childhood. I love that it’s a fun advent activity that doesn’t actually take a lot of time or effort but results in quality time with my kids every day during this busy…
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The Bad Hair Year and Your Opinion, Please
We interrupt this productive flurry of life changing and issues-driven posts for a frank and slightly more frivolous discussion on the topic of hair. I’m a verbal processor, and my in real life friends ought not the bear the weight of my issues on their own. No, I’m gonna bring the whole internet in on…
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The Ultimate List of Advent Books for Kids
My favorite part of Christmas is not the gifts, the food, and not even the excuse to fill my house with fresh greenery (although that is high on the list!). For me it’s always been traditions. Be they unique or simple, I love that comforting feeling of doing the same thing at the same time…
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The Secret to Smooth and Silky Pumpkin Pie
If you’re a pumpkin pie lover, then the texture of traditional pumpkin pie is probably not a problem for you. But then, if you’re a pumpkin pie lover, you may, like me, be intrigued by the idea of taking your pie to the next level. Pumpkin lovers, meet the Smooth and Silky version of Pumpkin…
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November Snapshots
November in Alabama…you’re blowing my mind. We had a taste of you two years ago, when we camped in the bus for the month of November. With your endless days of sun and gentle warmth, I felt like I won a vacation to a tropical location. This year we came by you honestly–we survived June,…
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The Best Way to Boost Our Kids’ Immune Systems
It’s that time of year–when we begin to be hyper aware of attacks on our kids’ immune systems, and wish we could somehow hold our breath in public for the extent of flu season. Alas, there are so many germs flying around–plus the bacteria that reside in our body just waiting for our immune systems…
Continue ReadingMy Back Doesn’t Hurt Anymore! (Tummy Team Recap Week 4)
I wasn’t scheduled to blog about my experience with the Tummy Team Core Rehab Program until next week, but ya’ll–I can’t wait to tell you what’s happened! As of this week, I’m pain free!!! It seems to good to be true, but just over a month into the program, the pain in my back is…
Continue ReadingDispatch from the Doldrums
This week my inner energizer bunny ground to a halt. I’m typically a very driven, high-energy person. I have brainstorms like Alabama has thunderstorms–often several in one day. I go from one thing to the next, my passion keeping me from pausing for very long between each task, my mind nearly always excited about something….
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